Palstar products are designed by Hams for Hams carrying on the Palstar tradition for high-quality products designed and manufactured in Ohio, USA.

AT2K 2000 WattAntenna Tuner

l 2000 W PEP SSB, 1500 W single tone

l 160 m to 10m

l Variable capacitor with vernier drive

l Dual movement cross needle meter

l 5” x 14.5” x 13.5”

9676 N. Looney Rd,Piqua, OH 45356 USA

(937) 773-6255

(800) 773-7931(937) 773-8003 (Fax)www.palstar.com

PALSTAR

AT2K 2000 Watt Antenna Tuner Technical Manual

Designed and Manufactured in the USACopyright 2014 Palstar, Inc.

PALSTAR

l M E T E R I N G : D u a l m o v e m e n t c r o s s - n e e d l e p o w e r

a n d f r e q u e n c y c o m p e n s a t e d c o u p l e r

l I N P U T & A N T E N N A T U N I N G : V a r i a b l e c a p a c i t o r 4 1 3 p F 4 . 5 K v

6 : 1 V e r n i e r D r i v e

l INDUCTANCE: 2 5 μ H r o l l e r i n d u c t o r ; 1 2 g a . w i r e w o u n d

o n s t e a t i t e c e r a m i c c o r e , s i l v e r p l a t e d

b a r a n d w h e e l

l A N T E N N A S E L E C T O R S W I T C H : 6 p o s i t i o n :

C o a x 1 - t u n e d a n d t u n e r b y p a s s

C o a x 2 - t u n e d a n d t u n e r b y p a s s

S w i t c h w a f e r s a r e 3 k V r a t e d

l P O W E R R A N G E S W I T C H : 2 p o s i t i o n 3 0 0 W / 3 0 0 0 W

l R E A R PA N E L C O N N E C T O R S :

S O - 2 3 9 : R F I n p u t , C o a x 1 & 2 , B y p a s s

C O A X : B a l a n c e d l i n e ( o p t i o n a l b a l u n )

E N D F E D W I R E : H i g h V o l t a g e N y l o n 6 6 ™

t e r m i n a l p o s t & g r o u n d p o s t

1 2 V D C I N P U T : 1 4 m m c o n n e c t o r , 2 . 1 m m I D ,

5 . 5 m m O D , c e n t e r p o s i t i v e , 2 0 0 m a

l F R E Q U E N C Y C O V E R A G E : 1 . 8 - 5 4 M H Z

l P O W E R M A X I M U M : 2 0 0 0 W P E P S S B , 1 5 0 0 W s i n g l e t o n e

l I M P E D A N C E R A N G E : 2 0 t o 1 5 0 0 Ω , 1 6 0 m t o 1 0 m

( a s s u m i n g r e s i s i t i v e l o a d )

R e d u c e p o w e r f o r l o w e r Z - r a n g e

l B A L A N C E D O U P U T : 4 : 1 c u r r e n t t y p e b a l u n ( o p t i o n a l e x t e r n a l )

l D I M I N S I O N S : 5 ” H x 1 4 . 5 “ W x 1 3 . 5 ” D

l W E I G H T : 1 3 L B S , 6 K g

l C H A S S I S & C O V E R : 1 1 g a . , . 0 9 0 g o l d I r i d i t e Tr e a t e d A l u m i n i u m

AT2K SPECIFICATIONS

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Building on success, Palstar upgraded the best-selling AT1500CV throughout to create the American-made Palstar AT2K Antenna Tuner.The AT2K optimizes the performance of your antenna and transmitter by providing adjustable impedance matching using a T-type circuit con�guration. The AT2K also measures the power (upgraded to include a PEAK/PEAK HOLD function) and Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR or SWR), which allows you to tune the SWR to the lowest possible for the selected transmission frequency.

The AT2K also features a precision steatite ceramic core roller inductor with a plated roller wheel and roller shaft. The smaller size permits operation on 6 meters.

A high voltage ceramic wafer switch allows selection between coax feedlines or wire-fed antennas. DIRECT switch positions bypass the impedance matching circuit but allow for the SWR, FORWARD, and REFLECTED and PEAK power meter FUNCTIONS.

Tuning is achieved with the front panel mounted controls. The 6:1 ratio Vernier dials allow for tuning with precision and accuracy, while the Inductor crank handle facilitates coarse adjustments. The range of the meter (300W/3000W) is selcted by a push button switch located on the front panel.

AT2K GENERAL DESCRIPTION

U N PA C K I N GC a r e f u l l y r e m o v e t h e AT 2 K f r o m t h e s h i p p i n g c a r t o n a n d i n s p e c t i t f o r s i g n s o f d a m a g e . I f a n y d a m a g e i s a p p a r e n t , n o t i f y t h e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n c a r r i e r o r d e a l e r i m m e d i a t e l y . K E E P T H E PA C K I N G C A R T O N f o r m o v i n g , s t o r i n g , o r r e s h i p p i n g t h e t u n e r t o u s f o r r e p a i r i f r e q u i r e d .

L O C AT I O NS e l e c t a l o c a t i o n f o r t h e AT 2 K t h a t a l l o w s t h e c o n n e c t o r s t o b e f r e e f r o m a n y p o s s i b l e c o n t a c t w i t h p e o p l e , p e t s , o r o b j e c t s d u r i n g o p e r a t i o n a n d w i t h u n r e s t r i c t e d a i r � o w f o r c o o l i n g .

I N S TA L L AT I O N P R O C E D U R EC o n n e c t a c o a x c a b l e f r o m y o u r t r a n s m i t t e r t o t h e R F I N P U T c o n n e c t o r o n t h e r e a r p a n e l . K e e p t h e c a b l e a s s h o r t a s p o s s i b l e . I f y o u u s e a l i n e a r a m p l i � e r , c o n n e c t y o u r t r a n s m i t t e r t o t h e l i n e a r a m p l i � e r i n p u t a n d t h e l i n e a r a m p l i � e r o u t p u t t o t h e AT 2 K .

D O N O T U S E M O R E T H A N 1 5 0 0 WAT T S ( s i n g l e t o n e ) t h r o u g h t h e t u n e r.

INSTALLATION

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+-

To 12-13.8vPower Supply

2.1 mmFEMALE plug

GreyTRACE ID

ProtectionReverse diode Red Heat Shrink

cover

AT 2 K D C P O W E R C O R D

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REAR PANEL

GROUND post/wing nutground connector

COAX-BAL-WIREUse this connectorto connect an optional external 1:1 or 4:1 balun for balanced or wire feedantennas

BYPASS coaxialconnector for outputto dummy load or thirdcoax output. Bypassestuner, but meter circuitsare on if AC adapter isconnected to rear panel

12 VDC INPUT(2.1 mm plug,center pin +)12 VDC adapter200 mA to powerthe meter lamp

COAX 2 coaxial connectorfor output to Antenna 2

RF INPUTcoaxial connectorfor input from transmitteror ampli�er

COAX 1 coaxial connectorfor output to Antenna 1

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FRONT PANEL DESCRIPTION

1. POWER/SWR METER Dual needle meter displays FORWARD and REFLECTED power in watts. SWR is measured where the two needles intersect on the red scale. SWR is printed on meter face.

2. PEAK HOLD Select to read Peak Hold on the SWR meter. Peak switch [3] must be in PEAK position.

3. PEAK Selects between PEAK and AVERAGE power metering display.

4. RANGE Two-position switch selects the range of FORWARD and REFLECTED power displayed on the power meter. When the RANGE button is OUT, the FORWARD meter scale reads 300 watts full scale and the REFLECTED meter scale reads 60 watts full scale. When the RANGE button is IN, the FORWARD meter scale reads 3000 watts full scale and the REFLECTED meter scale reads 600 watts full scale.

5. ON Select to turn on the backlight in the meter and enable metering, and 160 meter functions. The jack on the back panel must be supplied with 12 VDC for these functions to work.

6. DIRECT-TUNED MODE SWITCH Six-position rotary switch selects an output connector as follows:

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

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a. DIRECT BYPASS selects BYPASS COAX CONNECTOR bypassing the impedance matching circuit, but providing SWR, FORWARD, and REFLECTED power meter readings.

b. DIRECT COAX 1 selects COAX 1 CONNECTOR bypassing the tuner

matching circuit, but providing SWR, FORWARD, and REFLECTED meter readings.

c. DIRECT COAX 2 selects COAX 2 CONNECTOR bypassing the tuner matching circuit, but providing SWR, FORWARD, and REFLECTED meter readings.

d. TUNED COAX 1 selects COAX 1 CONNECTOR through the impedance matching T circuit.

e. TUNED COAX 2 selects COAX 2 CONNECTOR through the impedance matching T circuit.

7. INPUT Continuosly adjustable input capacitor.

8. OUTPUT Continuously adjustable output capacitor.

9. INDUCTOR 25 H continuously variable ceramic roller inductor driven by a crank handle. Coupled to the crank handle is a gear-driven precision mechanical counter. The end stop readings on the turns counter are ZERO and 279. Zero is max- imum inductance and 279 is minimum inductance.

μ

AT2K SCHEMATIC

COPYRIGHT PALSTAR 2011-2014©

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413 413

25

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METER BOARD ADJUSTMENTS

ReverseLow

ReverseHigh

ForwardLow

ForwardHigh

PeakHold

Peak PeakLow

PowerRange

PeakHigh

On/O�

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INSIDE VIEW

ROLLER INDUCTOR

VARIABLE CAPACITORSCOUPLER

METERINGASSEMBLY

PEAK/HOLDPCB

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OPERATING YOUR AT2KB E F O R E O P E R AT I N G

1 . To a v o i d p o s s i b l e d a m a g e t o t h e AT 2 K s e t I N P U T, O U T P U T,

I N D U C T O R , a n d P O W E R R A N G E s w i t c h e s a s o u t l i n e d i n t h e

c h a r t b e l o w b e f o r e a p p l y i n g t r a n s m i t t e r p o w e r.

2 . B e g i n t u n i n g w i t h y o u r t r a n s m i t t e r / a m p f e e d i n g t h e t u n e r

s e t a t a l o w o u t p u t p o w e r s e t t i n g ( 5 0 - 1 0 0 W a t t s m a x ) .

T U N I N G

1 . S e l e c t t h e b a n d a n d f r e q u e n c y o f d e s i r e d o p e r a t i o n .

2 . S e t T U N E a n d I N D U C T O R c o n t r o l s t o t h e s u g g e s t e d s e t t i n g

b e f o r e a p p l y i n g t r a n s m i t t e r p o w e r ( s e e c h a r t ) . A c t u a l s e t t i n g s

w i l l v a r y f r o m a n t e n n a t o a n t e n n a .

3 . S e t y o u r t r a n s m i t t e r / a m p l i � e r t o a l o w p o w e r o u t p u t . I f y o u r

t r a n s m i t t e r h a s a T U N E p o s i t i o n , s e l e c t t h a t p o s i t i o n .

4 . I f y o u u s e a l i n e a r a m p l i � e r , s e t i t t o S TA N D B Y. D o n o t u s e

t h e l i n e a r a m p l i � e r u n t i l t h e AT 2 K i s t u n e d .

WA R N I N G : D O N O T O P E R AT E T H E AT 2 K W I T H T H E C O V E R O F F.

BAND INPUT OUTPUT INDUCTOR

SUGGESTED ACTUAL SUGGESTED ACTUAL SUGGESTED ACTUAL

160 M

80 M

40 M

20 M

17 M

15 M

12 M

10 M

6 M

50

55

45

50

50

24

24

26

40

65

45

56

60

60

35

35

40

30

32

183

239

264

267

268

271

274

265

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D O N O T E X C E E D 1 0 0 0 W AT T S A V E R A G E ( S I N G L E T O N E )

5 . S e t R A N G E s w i t c h t o 3 0 0 W ( b u t t o n o u t ) .

6 . S e t t h e D I R E C T / T U N E D m o d e s w i t c h t o t h e T U N E D

p o s i t i o n m a t c h i n g y o u r a n t e n n a c o n n e c t i o n . To t u n e y o u r

a n t e n n a , t h e s w i t c h s e l e c t i o n m u s t b e s e t t o : C O A X 1 T U N E D ,

C O A X 2 T U N E D , o r B A L A N C E D L I N E . S e l e c t i n g C O A X 1 D I R E C T,

C O A X 2 D I R E C T, o r B Y PA S S b y p a s s e s t h e t u n i n g c i r c u i t r y a n d

t u n i n g i s n o t p o s s i b l e .

7 . R o t a t e t h e I N P U T, A N T E N N A , a n d I N D U C T O R c o n t r o l s f o r

m a x i m u m n o i s e o r s i g n a l a s h e a r d o n y o u r r e c e i v e r . R e f e r t o

p r e s e t t u n i n g c h a r t o n p a g e 9 .

8 . K e y y o u r t r a n s m i t t e r a n d a d j u s t t h e p o w e r l e v e l f o r a

r e a d i n g o f 5 0 - 1 0 0 w a t t s o n t h e F O R WA R D s c a l e . A d j u s t t h e

I N P U T, O U P U T, a n d I N D U C T O R c o n t r o l s f o r a m i n i m u m

R E F L E C T E D r e a d i n g w h i l e m a i n t a i n i n g a F O R WA R D r e a d i n g

o f 5 0 - 1 0 0 w a t t s u s i n g y o u r t r a n s m i t t e r p o w e r c o n t r o l .

9 . R e a d t h e S W R o n t h e r e d s c a l e a t t h e p o i n t w h e r e t h e t w o

n e e d l e s i n t e r s e c t . R e p e a t T U N I N G t h e i n p u t a n d a n t e n n a

c o n t r o l s u n t i l t h e l o w e s t S W R r e a d i n g i s o b t a i n e d . T h e S W R

s h o u l d b e 2 : 1 o r l o w e r .

1 0 . W h e n y o u h a v e t u n e d y o u r a n t e n n a t o t h e b e s t S W R ,

r e c o r d t h e s e t t i n g s o f t h e I N P U T, A N T E N N A , a n d I N D U C TA N C E

c o n t r o l s o n t h e c h a r t a b o v e f o r f u t u r e r e f e r e n c e . W h e n y o u

r e t u n e , u s e t h e s e s e t t i n g s a s y o u r s t a r t i n g p o i n t .

T h i s p r o c e d u r e t a k e s p a t i e n c e t h e � r s t t i m e . T h e i n p u t a n d a n t e n n a c o n t r o l s v a r y t h e c a p a c i t o r s a n d p r o v i d e � n e a d j u s t m e n t s , w h i l e t h e r o l l e r i n d u c t o r c r a n k p r o v i d e s c o a r s e a d j u s t m e n t .

RESTORING THE INDUCTOR WHEEL

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To RESTORE wheel pressure on the inductor push down on the �at springs soldered to the wheel shaft located on each end of the shaft.

W h e n a p p r o a c h i n g t h e e n d s t o p s o f t h e r o l l e r i n d u c t o r ( r e a d i n g s o f Z e r o o r 2 7 9 ) S L O W D O W N . S l a m m i n g t h e r o l l e r w h e e l i n t o t h e m e c h a n i c a l e n d s t o p s o n e i t h e r e n d o f t h e r o l l e r i n d u c t o r w i l l d e c r e a s e t h e p r e s s u r e o ft h e w h e e l a g a i n s t t h e w i r e w o u n d o n t h e c e r a m i c f o r m .

NOTES:1 . A S W R o f 1 : 1 i s b e s t , b u t a n S W R a s h i g h a s 2 : 1 m a y b e

a c c e p t a b l e . C h e c k y o u r t r a n s m i t t e r / a m p l i � e r m a n u a l f o r

d e t a i l s .

2 . I f y o u c a n n o t g e t a n a c c e p t a b l e S W R , l e n g t h e n o r

s h o r t e n y o u r a n t e n n a a n d / o r f e e d l i n e s a n d r e t u n e .

3 . I f y o u g e t l o w S W R r e a d i n g s a t m o r e t h a n o n e s e t t i n g ,

u s e t h e s e t t i n g t h a t g i v e s :

- h i g h e s t F O R WA R D p o w e r r e a d i n g

- l o w e s t R E F L E C T E D p o w e r r e a d i n g

- u s e s t h e l a r g e s t c a p a c i t a n c e ( h i g h e s t n u m b e r ) o n t h e

I N P U T a n d A N T E N N A c o n t r o l s .

4 . A n y t i m e a n e w o r d i � e r e n t a n t e n n a i s c o n n e c t e d , i t i s

n e c e s s a r y t o r e p e a t t h e t u r n i n g p r o c e d u r e f o r e a c h

a n t e n n a .

5 . O n c e e v e r y 4 - 6 m o n t h s c l e a n t h e r o l l e r c o i l w i t h D e o x i t

D 5 c o n t a c t c l e a n e r a n d a c l e a n c o t t o n c l o t h . D o n o t

r e m o v e t h e c o n d u c t i n g g r e a s e o n t h e r o d t h a t g u i d e s t h e

r o l l e r w h e e l . D o n o t t r a n s f e r a n y o f t h e c o n d u c t i n g g r e a s e

f r o m t h e r o d t o t h e r o l l e r c o i l b o d y , a s t h i s w i l l

c o n t a m i n a t e t h e w i n d i n g s .